I’ve been reading the Scriptures chronologically. As I read Psalm 51, my intention was to just write down any phrases that popped off the page to me and dig into them. Well, I didn’t get very far before the Spirit stopped me. Verse one reads…
“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.”
David penned this Psalm after Nathan the prophet had come to him, after he had gone into Bathsheba. David’s initial act of lust had begun a downward spiral that ultimately led David to plot the murder of an innocent man in order to cover the pregnancy that had resulted in his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. With that in mind let’s look at this verse.
WHO DAVID IS
In the first phrase, “be gracious to me, God”, the word gracious (chânan) means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior. In David’s use of that word, he is taking a position of utter humility. While he was the king of God’s chosen people, David was acknowledging that there is a King greater than he and he was in dire need of His kindness.
Pause to ponder. Do you approach God with that level of humility or have you become too familiar with God Most High?
WHO GOD IS
Look at the next two phrases – “…according to Your faithfulness” and “…according to the greatness of Your compassion”. Not only is David’s humility apparent again, but more importantly, David was praying based solely on who God IS. God is faithful. God is greatly compassionate.
In the phrase “According to God’s faithfulness”, the Hebrew word used is (cheçed) which means good (of a favorable character; someone or something that can be relied on) and kind (of a sympathetic or helpful nature; gentle; of a kind to give pleasure or relief). It’s in God’s nature to be reliable, helpful, gentle, and to offer relief.
In the phrase “According to the greatness (abundance) of God’s compassion”, the Hebrew word used is (racham). That word was often used to describe the way the womb cherishes the baby within it. Let that sink in. Parents expecting a baby love that child fiercely. They cherish that baby. They protect it. They nourish it. They even talk to it while in the womb. If you’re a parent, you know what I’m talking about. That describes a person’s “feeling” toward another. When I looked at the dictionary definition of compassion, my understanding of (racham) expanded further. The dictionary defined compassion as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Considering the desire to alleviate another’s distress describes “action”.
Don’t those two phrases together perfectly describe the love of God?! Here’s what I mean. Think about John 3:16 – “For God so loved (feeling) the world that He gave (action) His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
~~Hebrews 13:8~~
Praise God, He never changes; but you know what? Neither does the need of mankind. We are in the same boat as David in needing God’s graciousness, His faithfulness, and His compassion.
So let’s learn a lesson from King David by choosing from hereon in to pray with a sincere heart of humility, on the basis of who God is.
We serve the God, who “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). I desire to be positioned to receive all that He has for me, and the first step is humility.
Oh Spirit of God, thank You for teaching me and reminding me of things that God has written in His Word. Thank you for not leaving me like I am. I praise You, God, for giving me ears to hear, as well as a desire to grow more into the image of Your precious Son. According to Your great compassion, Father, I pray that You would forgive me for praying in such a self-centered way, as though I deserve Your kindness. In humility of heart I confess that it’s only through the blood of Your Son that I even deserve to approach Your throne. According to Your faithfulness, I pray that You please forgive my short-sightedness in my prayers to You. Thank you for the promise that, if I confess my sin to You, You are faithful and just to forgive my sin and purity me. I love You, Father. I love You, Jesus. I love You, Holy Spirit. Thank You for loving me.